1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for transliterating text using a portable device.
2. Description of Related Art
Today, people are very mobile with respect to business and leisure travel. People often travel to foreign locations to conduct business or for vacation. Travel to foreign locations may cause travelers a number of problems when they are able to speak and understand the local languages, but are not familiar with reading the local languages in the place they are visiting. Common problems faced by travelers include reading road signs, train schedules, bus schedules, restaurant menus, and phone books.
With these types of situations, speaking the language is insufficient because the traveler is unable to read the language. A traveler needs to be able to read and understand words for the particular language as well. For example, if a traveler is at a train station, signs on the platforms of train stations typically have a destination city displayed in the local language. It would be beneficial to avoid having to ask a person nearby to read the sign. The same situation is present with respect to road signs or names in a phone book.
One solution provided for a traveler is an electronic dictionary that includes an ability to convert from a source language to a target language. Many of these electronic translators, however, have a limited number of languages and usually do not include names for places. For example, an electronic translating device may allow a user to enter words in a source language, such as Spanish, and have those words translated into a target language, such as English. Such a conversion requires an extra step when the user is able to understand Spanish but is unable to read Spanish.
Further, when the word is a name, such as that of a city, a street, or a person, a Spanish to English translation may not be present. Also, many languages use characters that may not be recognizable to travelers, who cannot read the language. For a traveler who can say the name of a city, but cannot read the name, a translation of the text may be useless. In this situation a transliteration of text into a form that can be phonetically read by the traveler is appropriate. One example is in Japan, a traveler may be unable to read “Tokyo Station” on a train if the name is in Kanji form that the traveler cannot read although the traveler can pronounce and understand the name.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for providing transliteration of text from a source language to a target language.